Systems and Methods for Network Slice Attachment and Configuration

1. A method at a radio access network (RAN) node for configuration for User Equipment (UE) slice attachment, the method comprising: receiving, by the RAN node from a UE, a service request for an association to a network slice, the service request containing a descriptor identifying one of a plurality of network slices; transmitting, by the RAN node, to a second network node, a request containing the descriptor; receiving, by the RAN node from the second network node, slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor, the slice configuration information comprising an address associated with a first uplink point of presence associated with a user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor and user plane quality of service parameters associated with the user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor; transmitting, by the RAN node to the UE, radio link configuration information associated with the slice configuration information for the network slice associated with the descriptor, the radio link configuration information comprising a first radio link logical channel between the RAN node and the UE used to convey user plane information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and quality of service parameters associated with the first radio link logical channel; receiving, by the RAN node from the UE, uplink user plane traffic comprising an uplink user plane protocol data unit associated with the first radio link logical channel; forwarding, by the RAN node, the uplink user plane protocol data unit to the first uplink point of presence, the first uplink point of presence associated with the first radio link logical channel; transmitting, by the RAN node to the second network node, RAN configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor, the RAN configuration information comprising an address associated with a first downlink point of presence associated with the user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor; receiving, by the RAN node, downlink user plane traffic comprising a downlink user plane protocol data unit associated with the first downlink point of presence; and transmitting, by the RAN node, the downlink user plane protocol data unit using the first radio link logical channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radio link configuration further comprises a second radio bearer between the RAN node and the UE used to convey user plane information associated with a second network slice, the second radio bearer associated with a second uplink point of presence.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting to the UE a handle identifying the radio link configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting by the RAN node to a third network node a request carrying the descriptor; and receiving from the third network node an instruction to redirect the request carrying the descriptor to the second network node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second network node is determined in accordance with the received service request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor further comprises an address associated with a control plane point of presence associated with a control plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising forwarding to the control plane point of presence associated with the control plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor, control plane traffic received from the UE.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the service request comprises at least one of: an identifier associated with a particular slice instance; a handle identifying the radio link configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the descriptor comprises at least one of a type of service and a slice identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising caching the received slice configuration information and associating the cached configuration with the service request.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slice configuration information further comprises a second address associated with a second uplink point of presence associated with a user plane of a second network slice.

12. A radio access network node (RAN) for configuration for User Equipment (UE) slice attachment, the RAN node comprising: one or more processors; and a computer readable storage medium storing software instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the software instructions configured to control the one or more processors to: receive from a UE, a service request for an association to a network slice, the service request containing a descriptor identifying one of a plurality of network slices; transmit to a second network node, a request containing the descriptor; receive from the second network node, slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor, the slice configuration information comprising an address associated with a first uplink point of presence associated with a user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor and user plane quality of service parameters associated with the user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor; transmit, to the UE, radio link configuration information associated with the slice configuration information for the network slice associated with the descriptor, the radio link configuration information comprising a first radio link logical channel between the RAN node and the UE used to convey user plane information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and quality of service parameters associated with the first radio link logical channel; receive, from the UE, uplink user plane traffic comprising an uplink user plane protocol data unit associated with the first radio link logical channel; forward the uplink user plane protocol data unit to the first uplink point of presence, the first uplink point of presence associated with the first radio link logical channel; transmit, to the second network node, RAN configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor, the RAN configuration information comprising an address associated with a first downlink point of presence associated with the user plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor; receive downlink user plane traffic comprising a downlink user plane protocol data unit associated with the first downlink point of presence; and transmit the downlink user plane protocol data unit using the first radio link logical channel.

13. The RAN node of claim 12 , wherein the radio link configuration further comprises a second radio bearer between the RAN node and the UE used to convey user plane information associated with a second network slice, the second radio bearer associated with a second uplink point of presence.

14. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the software instructions are further configured to control the one or more processors to transmit to the UE a handle identifying the radio link configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor.

15. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the software instructions are further configured to control the one or more processors to: transmit to a third network node a request carrying the descriptor; and receive from the third network node an instruction to redirect the request carrying the descriptor to the second network node.

16. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the second network node is determined in accordance with the received service request.

17. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor further comprises an address associated with a control plane point of presence associated with a control plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor.

18. The RAN node of claim 17 wherein the software instructions are further configured to control the one or more processors to forward to the control plane point of presence associated with the control plane of the network slice associated with the descriptor, control plane traffic received from the UE.

19. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the service request comprises at least one of: an identifier associated with a particular slice instance; a handle identifying the radio link configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor and the slice configuration information associated with the network slice associated with the descriptor.

20. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the descriptor comprises at least one of a type of service and a slice identifier.

21. The RAN node of claim 12 wherein the software instructions are further configured to control the one or more processors to cache the received slice configuration information and associate the cached configuration with the service request.

22. The RAN node of claim 12 , wherein the slice configuration information further comprises a second address associated with a second uplink point of presence associated with a user plane of a second network slice.